Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has confirmed that Jacob Ramsey, Leon Bailey and Amadou Onana are all doubts ahead of our Premier League encounter with Man Utd on Sunday.
Villa are already without skipper John McGinn due to a hamstring injury, but there was better news in midweek as Matty Cash returned to the matchday squad after his spell on the sidelines.
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Both Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara are expected to return after the international break, but unfortunately the Villa boss confirmed that there are other potential absentees this weekend as we look to follow up our win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Ramsey limped off after just 27 minutes on Wednesday night with a groin problem, while his replacement Bailey, was replaced in the second half on the hour mark as he had been struggling with an issue going into the game. Emery has confirmed that both are doubts to feature this weekend.
“Both, they are, now, doubts,” he told the media at his pre-match press conference, as per VillaTV. “I don’t know if they are going to be available for Sunday. Tomorrow we will train. But they are so, so tight.
“If they are available on Sunday, they’re not going to be 100 per cent fit. But we will need every player. Tomorrow we are going to train and it depends how they feel. At the moment, today, they are doubts.”
Meanwhile, Onana was also seen struggling with a knock as he stretched out his hamstring during the win over Bayern, but having made it to the hour mark as well, it had been hoped that it wasn’t particularly serious and that he would be available for selection on Sunday.
Emery was optimistic on the Belgian international and so it’s hoped that he makes the matchday squad at least, but he will have to prove his fitness ahead of the game it seems.
“He is a doubt but I think he will be available,” he added. “He’s not a really serious injury, but playing matches during the week and at the weekend, we have to be clinical in our decision close to arriving at the next match.
“Tomorrow morning, even until Sunday morning maybe – Leon Bailey, Jacob Ramsey, Amadou Onana – and how they are recovering from the effort we did on Wednesday is going to be very, very important in my decision.
“I have to try and identify as well if I can do some changes getting better moments for other players when they are ready to play.”
The Villa boss does have alternative solutions at his disposal to fill any voids, with Jhon Duran and Jaden Philogene pushing for a starting berth in the final third after they both impressed earlier this week, while Duran’s form has been excellent since the season started.
That will depend on the confidence Emery has in the partnership between Duran and Ollie Watkins if they both start together though, and so it remains to be seen if that’s given a chance to flourish.
As for our deeper midfield pivot, Ross Barkley will be an option to come in for Onana, and so it’s hoped that we have the personnel capable of securing all three points this weekend so that we can cope with any further key absentees.
